Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-02-17
on the eve 81 Gettysburg.

~ xAhR oobhp ASkha0HoO Ala sbS ~
Tribune; One evening at o crowded
party gwen by Senator Dixon [ was
forced by the press into q corner, and on
looking around found my next neighbor
was Secretary Stanton. By and by DIX.
on came along, and spying us said:
"Stanton, tell him the scene between old
Abe and you the night of the battle OF
Gettysburg Stanton related the fol-
lowing:
Mr.. Lincoln had been excessively
| so~licitous about the result of that battle.
1t was kno wn that Les had crossed into
Pennsylvania, threatened Washington,
and that . battle bad been joined near
Gettysburg, upon which IN oil probabili-
ty, the fate OF Washington and the issue
OF the war depended. The telegraphio
wires rRn into the val department, and
dispatches had been received of the re-
suits Of the first days fight, which show.
| cd how desperate was the attack, the
stubbornness of the defense, and that
the result was indecisive. ALI that
day and next Mr.. Lincoln. was in
an agony of anxiety, running
over, as was his wont, to
the wa office to ascertain for himself
the latest news instead of waiting for
the reports to be sent to him by his
subordipates. Then came o long in
terval when nothing was heard Ut Meade,
and the president was wrought up to an
intense pitch of excitement. Night
came On, and Stanton, seeing the presl-
dent worn out with care and anxiety,
persuaded HIM to retire to the white
house. promising if anything came over
the wires during the night to give him
immediate information. At last toward
midnight came the electric flash OF the
great victory which saved the union.
Stanton seized the dispatch and ran
as fast as he could to the executive man.
sion, up the stairs and Knocked at the
room where the president was catching
a itful slumber. "Who is there?" he
heard in the voice of Mr.. Lincoln,
STANTON" The door opened
and Mr. Lincoln appeared with
light in his hand peering
through the crack Of the door, Tin the
shortest nightdress and longest legs" as
Stanton said, he ever saw o human being
Before Stanton, who was out of breath,
could say q word, the president who had
cought with %unerring instinct the ex-
preston Of his face gave q shout of
e~xuItation grabbed him with both arms
around the waist and danced him around
the chamber unti. they we're both ex-
hausted. They then sat down upon q
trunk, and the president, who was still
lin his nightdress, read over and over
again the telegram and then discussed
with him the probabilities OF the
future and the results of the
victory until the day dawned,
Such a scene at midnight between two
OF the greatest Americans whom this
Igeneration has produced, to whom az
ell wise providence had committed IN
largest measure the fate OF republican,
liberty in this western world, may NOT
afford a subject for the loftiest concep-
tions of the poet or the painter, bu. more
than any other incident within my
knowledge il shows the human nature OF
these two great men, and brings them
home to the hearts and "Reminiscences OF
the plain people of whom Mr.. Lincoln
was, on when he depended and whom be
loved. 1t shows him brooding ali
Through those three awful Days, with an
anxiety akin to agony which no one
could ehare-worn and weary with the
long and doubtful conflict between hope
and fear-treading the wine press fol
his people alone. And at last, when the
lightning flash had lifted the dark cloud
dancing like q schoolboy in the e~cstacy
OF delight and exhibiting q touch of that
human nature which makes all the world
akin.
As / look back OYER the Intervening
years to the great men and great events
of those historic days, his figure rises be
fore my memory the grandest and raosi
majestic of them all. There were giants
IN those days, but he lowered allow
them like Po~pocatapetl or Chimborazo
He wss great in character. in intellect
in wisdom. in tact, in council, in speech
in heart, in person-in everything.